wonder house
Documentary
73 minutes
WONDER HOUSE explores how curious young minds are engaged by childhood objects and environments. A young girl wanders through an old house, captivated by the phenomena she encounters in a series of beautifully choreographed dance sequences, playful stop-motion animations and the recorded voices of real scientists recalling their first encounters with science.
Commissioned by the Arts Council of Ireland and Filmbase as part of the Reel Art Scheme in 2011.
Written and directed by Oonagh Kearney.
Produced by John Kelleher for JK Media.
Please see IMDB for full cast and crew.
To view the full film, please visit the IFI@HOME here.
WONDER HOUSE had its Irish Premier in the IFI at the Dublin International Film Festival in March 2012 and its UK premiere in the ICA at the London Open City Docs Festival in June 2013. Oonagh was awarded 'Special Mention' by Jeremy Irons in the Best Emerging International Filmmaker Category.
“We want to draw special mention to WONDER HOUSE, probably the most ambitious film in the shortlist. We very much appreciate the originality of ideas expressed and applaud the beauty of the piece”
Briony Hanson, Head of Film, The British Council.
“They say writing about film is like dancing about architecture. WONDER HOUSE dances about science, and it works. This is an experimental and joyous film, full of striking imagery that constantly surprises”
London Open City Documentary Festival Selection Team.
WINNER
‘Special Mention’ in the Best Emerging International Filmmaker category, London Open City Docs Festival, 2013
SELECTED SCREENINGS
57th Cork International Film Festival, Nov. 16th 2012
Irish Film Institute, June 24th 2012
Dublin International Film Festival, February 23rd 2012
REVIEWS
“What exactly is an ‘experimental arts documentary’, I wondered, as the words flashed up on screen at the start, but by the end I had my answer: the film is a meditative, mesmerizing journey that combines documentary with a loose fictional narrative, striking imagery and haunting scenes… with it’s unusual subject matter and experimental format, WONDER HOUSE should stimulate the imagination of all those interested in science or art.”
Scibernia Review by Sylvia Leatham, 2012
IFI Review, 2012